Mortgage Servicing Rights - Schedule of Fair Value of MSRs and Aggregate Principal Amounts of Associated Loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value	[1]	$ 63,598	$ 118,526
Mortgage servicing rights
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		63,598	118,526	$ 191,976	$ 139,293
Associated Principal		5,556,655	10,456,889
Mortgage servicing rights | Conforming Loans
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		1,194	58,523
Associated Principal		107,416	4,989,720
Mortgage servicing rights | Jumbo Loans
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
MSR Fair Value		62,404	60,003
Associated Principal		$ 5,449,239	$ 5,467,169

[1] Our consolidated balance sheets include assets of consolidated variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle obligations of these VIEs and liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse to Redwood Trust, Inc. or its affiliates. At December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, assets of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,259,774 and $798,317, respectively. At December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, liabilities of consolidated VIEs totaled $1,167,157 and $773,980, respectively. See Note 4 for further discussion.